How do I Host a Humorous Retirement Dinner?

Serve the guest of honor's favorite meal at the retirement dinner.

A retirement dinner is a time of celebration and remembrance of the person who is leaving the company, but it doesn't have to be a dull and solemn affair. You can turn the dinner into a humorous event while still showing respect for the guest of honor. Avoid any sexual or ethnic humor. Personalize the dinner by serving the guest's favorite meal and inviting his or her favorite local musician to play.

Instructions

1. Invite fellow employees to share stories of the retiring person. The employees should make brief and humorous statements about the individual, and they should mention specific moments when the retiring person touched their lives.

2. Include a video biography of the retiring person. In the biography, discuss the guest's early life, educational background, family, how the individual contributed to the success of the company, and include an interview with the guest of honor. Show funny aspects of his or her personality.

3. Give a short skit about the guest. One employee portrays the retiring person on a typical workday while another employee pretends to be a client and three other employees portray themselves. Give the skit a certain theme. If the retiring person enjoys reading mystery novels, perform a skit where he or she is trying to solve a difficult problem with a client by looking for clues.

4. Serve the retiring person's favorite meal. Make it humorous by asking employees to prepare side dishes with unusual ingredients. A few hours before the dinner, give each employee a box of ingredients and ask them to create a unique dish. Tell them that the winners will get a gift card to a restaurant. At the dinner, have the guest of honor taste and judge each dish.

References

• AARP: Tips on How to Entertain and Avoid Stress